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For years, buying a spare part meant phone calls, printed lists, and endless searching through warehouses. But that’s changing. Today, more and more repair shops are buying auto parts online, accessing real-time digital catalogs, and placing orders without leaving their workstations.
The Digital Catalog Revolution
At the heart of this revolution is the digital catalog. Far from being just a product list, it has become a dynamic tool that organizes technical data, images, videos, variants, vehicle compatibility, and availability all updated in real time.
The Alephee platform, for instance, allows manufacturers to upload and standardize their catalogs, which can then be automatically shared with the entire commercial network: distributors, retailers, marketplaces, and repair shops.
“A well-structured catalog reduces errors, avoids unnecessary calls, and speeds up sales,” says the team at Alephee. “The right information, at the right time, makes all the difference.”
Buying Online: The New Habit in Repair Shops
Digitalization doesn't only benefit major brands. Small repair shops often far from large urban centers also reap the rewards.
Today, over 60% of repair shops in Argentina already search for or buy parts online, according to a NielsenIQ report. They access online catalogs, filter by model and year, and find exactly what they need no middlemen, no delays.
And because the catalogs are connected to real-time stock and pricing systems, common confusions like “out of stock” or “that price is outdated” are avoided.
Manufacturers Selling Directly to Repair Shops
Some brands have already taken the leap. Ford, for example, launched its official auto parts store on Mercado Libre, with Alephee’s support to digitize and distribute its entire catalog. This allows dealerships and customers to access products directly — no more outdated catalogs or calls to distributors.
Other industries are following this path. Companies like FV and Ferrum, in the construction sector, are using digital catalogs to organize their product lines and share standardized information with their commercial networks.
Distributors Are Going Digital Too
Meanwhile, wholesale distributors are automating key tasks: updating prices and stock from a single system, integrating their ERPs with platforms like Alephee, and keeping their entire sales network online and offline in sync.
This reduces errors, speeds up ordering, and improves relationships with repair shops and retail points, who gain access to reliable information instantly.
More Confidence, Less Time Wasted
For the end buyer whether mechanic, repair shop, or retailer the change is clear: fewer doubts, more options, greater confidence.
There’s no need to wait for a salesperson or sift through Excel sheets. Now, products can be searched for just like ordering food or booking a flight from a phone or computer, with verified information, in seconds.
And in a sector where time is money… that makes all the difference!
